Rotary engine.



E. TANNER.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 4529, I916.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

I lA/VE/VTOR .E'mmebl'amm A TTOR/VEYS gahgmiwb E. TANNER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNEZB, l9l6. 7 1,250,709. Patented Dec. 18,1917.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

llVl/E/VTOR lmme 'anner W ATTORNEYS E. TANNER.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 1um229. 1-916.

1,250,709. Patented Dec. 18,1'917.-

5 SHEETS-SWEET 3.

: IIVI/ENTOR Emmti Tan/12,67

A TTOR/VEYS E. TANNER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1916.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

5 SHEE'TSSHEET 4.

I IN VEIV TOR ,E' in-01066123717007 ATTORNEYS E. TANNER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION min JUNE 29 Patented Dec. 18,1917.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS STATS ATENT' OFFICE.

EMMETT TANNER, OF LE GRAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF NINE-TWENTIETHS TO WILLIAM T. KIRKMAN, JB., OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

Application filed June 29, 1916. Serial N 0. 106,666.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Emincrr TANNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Le Grand, in the county of Merced and State of California, have invented a .certain new and useful Improvement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, of the gas driven type, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a rotary engine, in which the shaft is'stationary, and in which the cylinders and the casing revolve, the engine being provided with opposed cylinders, thereby allowing more cylinders to be placed in a given space.

A further object of my invention is to provide an engine in which one connecting rod serves two opposed pistons, thereby allowing shorter and lighter pistons to be used.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described, having a novel form of intake valve in the head of each piston.

A further object is to provide a cylinder having rotating exhaust valves, which are cooled by the centrifugal motion of the motor.

A further object of my invention is toprovide a novel form of muffler.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of driving wheel, in which the driving wheel revolves around the fixed shaft at a different angle from the line of travel of the cylinders, and in which the cylinders are all disposed with their axes parallel with the central stationary shaft.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the invention will be partieularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of the engine.

Fig.2 is a section along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detailed view of one of the bearings for the rotatable casing.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing one of the piston valves.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Fig.5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a. distributer.

Fig. 8 is a section along Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a pair of pistons showing their pivotal connection to the drive wheel.

Fig. 10 is a section along the line 1010 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of cylinder.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a main supporting frame, consisting of tubular members 1 at each end of the device, see

the line 88 of Fig. 1, and similar tubular members 2 at Fig. 2, has its axis angularly disposed with respect to the main longitudinal axis of the shaft, is the drive wheel 6, ball bearings 7 being disposed between the wheel 6 and the cylindrical portion 5. The drive wheel 6 has spoke-like members 6*", see Figs. 2 and 8, which merge into an integral rim 6". 1 The wheel 6 is designed to revolve around the cylindrical portion 5* of the stationary shaft and to carry with it in its revolution a casing. The central part 8, of this casing, is cylindrical, see Figs. 2 and 8, and it is provided with a series of outwardly extending curved flanges 9, which extend into an exhaust passage 10, formed between the easing 8 and a spirally arranged housing 11, see Fig. 8. An exhaust pipe 12 communicates with the exhaust passage 10, the exhaust pipe. 12 and the housing 11 being stationary.

Secured to the central portion 8 of the easing are side members 8, which have bearings i3 on each end of the stationary shaft. To

0 I these s1de members 8 are secured cyhnders "14, these cylinders being grouped around the central shaft 5 at equal distances apart and being arranged in opposed pairs on opposite sides of the central portion of the revolving casing. In the present instance, I have shown ,ten of these opposed cylinders, five on a side. These cylinders being secured to'the revolving casing, of course, revolve with the casing. The cylinders are all alike and a description of one will sufiice for all.

Consider now Fig. 2. I have shown a connecting rod 15, which serves two opposed cylinders 14. In the preferred form of construction, the connecting rod 15 is secured to a valve 16, see Fig. 4, which is adapted to seat against a valve seat 17 carried by a piston 18. A spring 19 is disposed between a slidable part 20 which is secured to the valve 16 and the portion of the piston which bears the valve seat 17, for the purpose of cushioning the valve when it is closed, as will be described lam-Fr Each of the opposed pistons isprovided with a similar valve.

In Figs. 2 and 9, I have shown the means by which the connecting rods 15 are connected up with the drive wheel in order to im part movement to the latter from the recip rocating pistons. In Fig. 9 it will be observed that the opposed pistons 18 are provided with connecting rods 15, each of which at its center is enlarged into an integral sleeve 20, having upper and lower slots 21, see Figs. 2 and 9, arranged to receive one of a number of removable spokes 22, which are inserted from the inside or from the in terior of the hub of the wheel, see Fig. 8, and which are provided with laterally extending tru nnion 23, arranged to enter the sleeve '20. The removable spokes 22 are screwed into the hub of the wheel 6, see Figs. 1 and 8. The spoke shown in Fig. 2 is prolonged and bears at its end a wheel 24, which is arranged to run in a groove 25. On the opposite side, a stub shaft 26 bears a similar wheel 25. This construction permits the drive wheel to oscillate from one end of the groove to the other, as the pistons 18 recip rocate. As will be seen from Fig. 8, there are five of these removable spokes 22, and

' each is provided with a similar arrangement for connection with the connection rods 15 of the opposed sets of pistons.

Each cylinder is provided with a rotary exhaust valve. As'will be seen from Figs. 2, 5 and 6, the valve casing 27 contains a ro tatable cylinder 28, which is provided with a central cylindrical conduit '29, having passage 30 leading from this conduit to the ex terior of the cylinder 28. Each cylinder 14 has at its end an outlet passage 31, which is in registration with one of the exhaust passages 30 during the rotation of the valve 28. The passages 30 are relatively long and narrow and connect the cylinders with the exhaust pipe 32 which leads to the space 33, that in turn communicates with the spirally arranged exhaust conduit 11, through the opening 34, see Fig. 2. The central conduit 29 has a double function. It will be observed that the valve casing 27 is provided with an opening 27, see Figs. 2 and 6, which will register with the passages 30 during the revolution of the valve. This permits air to enter the central conduit 29 for the purpose of cooling the parts. It is obvious that no air can enter it at the time one of the exhaust passages 30 registers with the port 31 at the end of the cylinder.

The bottom of each of the valves 28 is provided with a circular row of teeth 35, and constitutes, in fact, a worm gear.

Referring now particularly to Fig. '2, it will be een that the casing member 8 on the left side of the figure is provided with a bore, in which the tapered end of the shaft 36 is seCured,-thisshaft 36 bearing on its outer end a drive wheel 31',- so that as the casing revolves, the drive wheel 37 revolves with it.

A stationary bearing sleeve 38 is provided for the shaft 36.

Mounted on the shaft 5 and on the stationary bearing sleeve 38 of the shaft 36 are hubs of worm wheels 39. These worm wheels 39 are arranged to engage their respective sets of rotary valves 28, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be observed, however, that each of the valves is inclined to the common axis of the shafts 5 and 36, so that, the worm wheels engage only one of the toothed edges of the cylindrical valve, the other edge being free. A. slight rotation of the worm wheel will, of course, cause the rotation of the valves simultaneously and thus the. positions of the exhaust passages 30 may be adj usted. This adjustment is effected by means of the arms 40, which it will be observed, are secured to the hubs of the wheels 39 and are connected by means of links 41 to operating levers 42. which are provided with looking elements 43, by means of which the valves may be locked in their adjusted positions.

The ignition circuit of the engine includes distributors at each end of the device. These distributers are similar to those shown in Fig. 7. Each distributer consists of an insulating ring 44, which is provided with laterall v extending arms or lugs 45,each bearing a wiping contact. 46, having a conductor 47 leading to the spark plug 48, see Fig. 2, of its particular cylinder. Each of these distributers is mounted on a revolving portion or extension of the casing members 8. An insulating arm 49, see Figs. 2 and 7 bears a projecting conduit 50 which is designed to be engaged by the wipers 46 in succession, as the casing revolves, and to close the circuit to the spark plugs of the respective cylinders 14 in succession.

From the foregoing description of the varlous parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The hollow stationary shaft 5 is used as the intake for the motive fluid, which mav be supplled from any suitable form of carbureter, not shown. The engine is designed to be fed with lubricating oil and gas, as follows. The shaft 5 is provided with openings 5 by means of which the ball bearings 13 at the right of-Fig. 2, are lubricated. Openings 5 in the central cylindrical portion 5 are provided for lubricating the ball bearings 7 while the ball bearings 13 at the left end of the shaftare lubricated by the oilpassing through the spaces 13 at the end of the shaft. It will thus be seen that the working parts of the engine are well lubricated.

The engine having been started, the gas is drawn in and passes through the openings in the shaft. 5 to the space within the easing 8.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the upper right hand cylinder as being about to fire. The explosion drives the piston forward and, owing to the fact that the drive Wheel, to which the piston is connected, is mounted to revolve on an axis at an angle to the axes of the major portion of the shaft, the drive wheel will be compelled to rotate about its axis. As has been stated, the drive wheel carries the rollers 24 in the grooves 25, and these rollers therefore transmit the move ment of the drive wheel to the casing, so that the drive wheel. the casing and the cylinders revolve about the fixed shaft as an axis. As the drive wheel revolves it will oscillate in such a manner as to cause the rollers 24 to move from one side of the casing to the other. The rotary valves, it will be noted, have five exhaust passages 30, see Fig. 6, and these valves are so geared to the worm wheels 39 that they rotate at a speed which is one-tenth that of the drive wheel and the casing.

The return stroke of the upper right hand piston in Fig. 2, succeeding the explosion stroke, is the exhaust stroke, and one of the ports 30 is in registration with the passage 31 at the end of the cylinder so as to permit the gases to pass through 30 into pipe 32, and thence through opening 34 and into the exhaust passage 11. At the next stroke of the piston the exhaust valve is closed, but the piston val've opens, due to spring 19 and the excess pressure within the interior of the casing 8, thus filling the cylinder with a fresh charge. The succeeding stroke is the compression stroke, after which the explo-' The exhaust gases which escape through the housing 11 are conducted away bv the.

pipe 12. The; housing 11, together with the flanges 9 on the casing 8 constitute, in fact,

to reduce the noise of the engine is the fact that the piston valves are provided with the springs 19, which tend to cushion the seating of the valve, thereby preventing clatter and unnecessary wear.

It is necessary in a device of the type described, that the time of opening and closing of the exhaust valves be regulated, especially at different speeds of the engine. This may be done by manipulating. the levers 42, which may be set in their adjusted positions. The. movement of the levers will cause a movement of the arms 4:0 on the hubs of the worm wheels 39, so as to shift the position of the latter with respect to the valves. It will be understood, of course, that the rotation of the valves about the stationary worm wheels, causes the rotation of the individual rotary valves, about their own axes, so that when the position of the worm wheel is shifted by means of the levers 42, the relative position of the valvesthat is to say-the time of the opening and closing of the exhausts of the cylinders is varied.

As the casing revolves, the distributer 44 is rotated so as to bring the contact 46 in engagement'with the stationary contact 50 and thus connect the ignition circuit with thevarious cylinders in succession. The slowly rotating valves get plenty of time for air to be drawn through the slot or port 27, see Figs. 2 and 6, into the interior of the valve, so as to cool the valves as well as the port immediately adjacent thereto.

The means for securing the cylinders to the side walls 8 of the casing, consists of a union comprising'a threaded ring 60, arranged to engage threads on the outer surface of the cylinders 14 and adapted to be I held to the side member 8 by means of a ring 61, which is bolted in position. This provides a construction which enables the cylinder to be quickly detached, if necessary, or quickly replaced.

The engine is designed to be used for general purposes, such as for automobiles, aeroplanes, and the like, and in order to provide for the efficient coolingof the device, I prefer to install a funnel 65, which extends from the front to the rear of the engine, and delivers the air at 66 to the rotary valves. Thus, uniform cooling of the engine is secured. The cylinders are provided with the radiating flanges 67, theseflanges being sufficient to cool the engine through the rapid rotation in the air, without the necessity of water circulation or of a fan. This greatlytends to reduce the weight of the engine.

In Fig. 11, I have shown a modified form of the device, in which the cylinder 14 is provided with a valve 28 at one end, and

with a compression chamber at the other. This compression chamber is connected with the main cylinder body by means of passages 71. In this type of cylinder the engine can be operated as a two-cycle engine. At 72, I have shown an intake valve for the compression chamber, which has a base 73 carrying a stufling box 74, whose cap 7 5 is pressed upon by the spring 76, the opposite end of the spring bearing on an abutment partition 77.

In this type of engine the explosion stroke of the piston compresses a charge in the chamber 72, and when the piston gets into the position shown in Fig. 11 the exhaust valve is opened so as to permit the compressed charge to pass through the passages 71, thereby driving out the exhaust gases and filling the cylinder with fresh gas. On the compression stroke the valve 72 will open and permit an additional charge of fuel to fill the compression chamber.

lVhen in operation the centrifugal force of the engine is considerable, and in order to prevent the cylinders from being swung outwardly by this centrifugal force, I provide rings 80 which are secured to the valve housing, and which tend to hold the parts securely in position.

I claim 1. In a rotary engine of the explosive type, a stationary shaft having a main longi tudinal axis, said shaft having a cylindrical bearing portion angularly disposed wi th respect to the main axis of the shaft, a drive wheel mounted to rotate on said cylindrical bearing portion, a cylindrical casing inclosing said drive wheel, said cylindrical casing being rotatable on said fixed shaft, means for connecting said rotatable casing with said drive wheel for imparting movement to the drive wheel and the casing, a plurality of cylinders disposed on opposite sides of said casing, said cylinders being arranged in opposed pairs, a piston for each cylinder, piston rods for the opposed cylinders, said piston rods being pivotally connected with said drive wheel, an exhaust valve carried by each cylinder, the exhaust valves of each set of cylinders having a rigid common operating means, said rigid common operating means being adjustable to time the action of the valves.

2. In a rotary engine of the explosive type, a stationary shaft having a main longitudinal axis, said shaft having a cylindrical bearing portion angularly disposed with respect to the main axis of the shaft, a drive wheel mounted to rotate on said cylindrical bearing portion, a cylindrical casing inclosing said drive wheel, said cylindrical casing being rotatable on said fixed shaft, means connecting said rotatable casing with said drive wheel for imparting movement to the drive wheel and the casing, a plurality of cylinders disposed on opposite sides of said casing, said cylinders being arranged in opposed pairs, a piston for each cylinder, piston rods for the opposed cylinders, said PIS- ton rods being pivotally connected with said drive wheel, an exhaust valve carried by each cylinder, the exhaust valves of each set of cylinders havinga rigid common operating means, each of said valves having geared teeth and a stationary worm arranged to engage the gear teeth of all of the valves of a set for simultaneously operating the valves.

3. In a rotary engine of the explosive type, a stationary shaft having a main longitudinal axis, said shaft having a cylindrical bearing portion angularly disposed with respect to the main axis of the shaft, a drive wheel mounted to rotate on said cylindrical bearing portion, a cylindrical casing inclosing said drive wheel, said cylindrical casing being rotatable on said fixed shaft, means connecting said rotatable casing with said drive wheel for imparting movement to the drive wheel and the casing, a plurality of cylinders disposed on opposite sides of said casing, said cylinders being arranged in opposed pairs, a piston for each cylinder, piston rods for the opposed cylinders, said piston rods being pivotally connected with said drive wheel, an exhaust valve carried by each cylinder, the exhaust valves of each set of cylinders having a rigid common operating means, each of said valves having gear teeth and a stationary worm arranged to engage the gear teeth of all of the valves of a set for.

simultaneously operating the valves, and means for adjusting the position of the worm and for locking it in its adjusted position.

4. In a rotary engine of the explosive type, a stationary shaft, a plurality of cylinders rotatably disposed upon said shaft, a drive wheel carried by the shaft and rotatable with respect thereto around an axis inclined at an angle to the main longitudinal axis of the shaft, means connecting the pistons of the cylinders with said drive wheel for causing the rotation of the latter, a casing rigidly connected with the cylinders, said casing being provided with arc-shaped grooves, rollers carried by the drive wheel and arranged to run in said arc-shaped grooves for imparting the movement of the drive wheel to the casing, a rotary valve carried by each cylinder and means connecting a stationary worm wheel for engaging the rotary valves during the revolution of the latter about the shaft for revolving them about their individual axes.

5. In a rotary engine of the explosive type, a stationary shaft, a plurality of cylinders rotatably disposed upon said shaft, a drive wheel carried by the shaft and rotatable with respect thereto around an axis inclined at an angle to the main longitudinal axis of the shaft, means connecting the piston of the,

connected with the cylinders, said casing being provided with arc-shapedgrooves, rollers carried by the drive wheel and arranged to run in said arc-shaped grooves for imparting the movement of the drive wheel; to the casing, a rotary valve carried by each cylinder and means for connecting a stationary worm wheel for engaging the rotary valves during the revolution of the latter about the shaft for revolving them about their individual axes, and means for shifting the position of the worm wheel :to simultaneously vary the time of opening and closing of all of the valves.

6. In a rotary engine of the explosive :type, a stationary hollow shaft, a drive wheel mounted on said shaft for revolution around the axis at an angle to the longitudinal" axis of the stationary shaft, a casing surrounding said drive wheel, said casing being mounted to rotate about the main longitudinal axis of the stationary shaft, said stationary shaft being provided with openings for permitting the passage of gas into the interior of the casing, a plurality of sets of opposed cylinders communicating with the interior of the rotatable casing, said cylinders being secured to and rotatable with the casing, and a distributer comprising an insulating ring secured to said rotatable casing and provided with a series of wiping contacts, each of said contacts being connected to the spark plug of one of sald cyl- Coplea of this patent may be obtained for inders and a stationary contact arranged to be engaged by said wipers in succession.

7. In a rotar engine of the explosive type, a stationary s 'aft, a drive wheel mounted for rotation on said shaft around an axis angularly disposed with respect to the main longitudinal axis of the shaft, a rotatable casing mounted on said stationary shaft for revolution around the main longitudinal axis of the stationary shaft, a set of cylinders on each side of said casing, said cylinders being secured to the casing and rotatable therewith, said sets of cylinders being arranged in opposed pairs, the piston rods of each opposed pair being rigidly connected together and having a pivotal connection with the drive wheel valves for each set of cylinders, and a funnel disposed parallel with the stationary shaft, the end of the funnel being bent to deliver air for cooling the valves of one set of cylinders.

8. In a rotary. engine of the exposive type, a plurality of cylinders disposed about a stationary sha ft, said cylinders being rotatable around the axis of the shaft, a rotary valve carried'by each cylinder, each valve being rotatable about an axis at right angles to the axis of the stationary shaft, means for cooling the interior of the valves, said last named means comprising an opening in the valve casing and passages in said valves arranged to register with said openings for admitting air into, the lnterior of. the valve.

EMMETT TANNER.

five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

